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Our Projects

We are proud to contribute to research in Tulu and regional languages through several funded projects in lexicography, folklore, and cultural documentation.

1

All India Tata Fellowship For Folklore

Funding Agency:

National Folklore Support Centre, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde

Duration: 2012-2013 (12 Months)

The goal of the fellowship is to collect folk knowledge from a local folk community. All India Tata fellowship for folklore (2012-13) was sponsored by Tata Trusts through NFSC, Chennai, to 21 selected people across the country during 2012-2013 period. The fellowship was disbursed to the Scholar and resource person equally by the NFSC.

2

Tulu Cognate Dictionary

Funding Agency:

Nitte Deemed To Be University and Karnataka Tulu Sahithya Academy

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde

Duration: Nov 2014 – Mar 2019 (52 Months)

The aim of the project is to collect cognates for Tulu words in Kannada, Kodava, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu languages. Minor languages like Koraga and Belari are considered. Moya Malayalam and Havyaka Kannada dialects were also considered occasionally. Tulu Cognate Dictionary was initiated, funded and executed by Nitte DU, then in the middle for a period close to a year, it was funded by the Karnataka Tulu Sahithya Academy. Tulu Cognate Dictionary is awarded Hermann Gundert Award for the year 2020 by Dravidian Linguistic Association.

3

Tirukkural - Tamil To Tulu Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde

Duration: 2021 – 2022 (10 Months)

The Tirukkural, a 2,500-year-old Tamil classic composed of dual-lined moral aphorisms, has been translated into Tulu, capturing both its poetic elegance and philosophical depth. The translation presents the Tirukkural in both verse and prose, preserving the essence and ethical values of the original text while making it accessible to Tulu-speaking audiences.

4

Tirukkural – Tamil To Koraga Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Meenakshi A

Duration: 2021 – 2022 (10 Months)

The Tirukkural, a 2,500-year-old Tamil classic composed of dual-lined moral aphorisms, has been translated into Tulu, capturing both its poetic elegance and philosophical depth. The translation presents the Tirukkural in both verse and prose, preserving the essence and ethical values of the original text while making it accessible to Koraga-speaking audiences.

5

Documentation of Koraga Folk Knowledge and Koraga Dictionary

Funding Agency:

Aarya Tara Enterprises, Bengaluru

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde, Pradyoth Hegde

Duration: Apr 2022 – Mar 2025 (36 Months)

This project focuses on documenting Koraga, a tribal language native to the Tulunadu region. The initiative includes recording and preserving the language, compiling a comprehensive dictionary, and documenting annual rituals and cultural practices of the Koraga community. The project aims to safeguard the linguistic and cultural heritage of one of the region's most marginalized groups.

6

Tolkapiyam – Tamil To Tulu Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde

Duration: 2022-2023 (18 Months)

Tolkappiyam, a classical Tamil grammar text from the Sangam era, is believed to have been written by the scholar Tolkappiyar over 2,000 years ago. Recognized as one of the oldest works on Tamil grammar and linguistics, it has now been translated into Tulu. This translation makes the foundational concepts of ancient Tamil grammar accessible to Tulu readers, fostering cross-linguistic and cultural understanding.

7

Manimekalail – Tamil To Tulu Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Mr. Mahesh Moolya

Duration: March 2024 to February 2025 (12 Months)

Manimekalai, one of the five great epics of Tamil literature, was composed in the 6th century CE by the Buddhist poet Kulavanikan Seethalai Sathanar. This classical epic has been translated into Tulu, preserving its narrative and philosophical essence.

8

Manimekalail – Tamil To Konkani Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Sabitha Nayak

Duration: March 2024 to February 2025 (12 Months)

Manimekalai, one of the five great epics of Tamil literature, was composed in the 6th century CE by the Buddhist poet Kulavanikan Seethalai Sathanar. This classical epic has been translated into Konkani, preserving its narrative and philosophical essence.

9

Cilappatikaaram - Tamil To Tulu Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde

Duration: March 2024 to February 2025 (12 Months)

Cilappatikaaram is one of the five great epics of Tamil literature, composed in 5-6th century by Ilango Adigal. This classical epic has been translated into Tulu, preserving its narrative and philosophical essence.

10

Cilappatikaaram - Tamil To Konkani Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Neetha Kamath

Duration: March 2024 to February 2025 (12 Months)

Cilappatikaaram is one of the five great epics of Tamil literature, composed in 5-6th century by Ilango Adigal. This classical epic has been translated into Konkani, preserving its narrative and philosophical essence.

11

Ettuttokai - Pattuppattu Tamil to Tulu Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde

Duration: April 2024 to September 2025

Ettuttokai, also known as the "Eight Anthologies," is a classical collection of Tamil literature comprising 2,371 poems. These poems range from brief three-line stanzas to longer compositions of up to forty lines. The eight works in this collection are: Ainkurunuru, Akananuru, Purananuru, Kalittokai, Kuruntokai, Natrinai, Paripatal, and Pathitrupathu. Pattuppaattu, or the "Ten Idylls," is another set of classical Tamil works from the Sangam period. It includes: Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai, Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu, Malaipaṭukaṭām, Maturaikkāñci, Mullaippāṭṭu, Neṭunalvāṭai, Paṭṭiṉappālai, Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai, Poruṇarāṟṟuppaṭai, and Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai. These texts were composed between the 2nd and 5th centuries CE. Both Ettuttokai and Pattuppaattu have been translated into Tulu, preserving their poetic richness and cultural significance for Tulu-speaking readers.

12

Kodava Thakk Documentation and Dictionary Project

Funding Agency:

Aarya Tara Enterprises, Bengaluru

Granted to:

Dr. Sayeegeetha Hegde, Pradyoth Hegde

Duration: August 2024 to July 2025

This project aims to document the cultural heritage of Kodagu through the lens of the Kodava Thakk language. It focuses on preserving traditional knowledge, rituals, and expressions unique to the region. A key outcome of the project is the creation of a comprehensive dictionary for the Kodava language, contributing to its linguistic preservation and accessibility for future generations.

13

Tirukkural - Tamil To Konkani Translation

Funding Agency:

Central Institute Of Classical Tamil, Chennai

Granted to:

Mrs. Shwetha Pai

Duration: August 2024 – May 2025 (10 Months)

The Tirukkural, a 2,500-year-old Tamil classic composed of dual-lined moral aphorisms, has been translated into Tulu, capturing both its poetic elegance and philosophical depth. The translation presents the Tirukkural in both verse and prose, preserving the essence and ethical values of the original text while making it accessible to Konkani-speaking audiences through Kannada Script.